I am humbled every time I am fortunate enough to spend time with these kupa of Kailua, Oʻahu. The depth of their love and knowledge for their ʻāina, kūpuna, and our lāhui has inspired me immensely since the first time I met them. Yesterday Haley and I were fortunate to again be able to witness and be inspired by the ea and aloha ʻāina they embody in their hālau and ʻohana. Sharing the moʻolelo of their ʻāina through oratory, hula, mele, mea ʻai, and intentional and kuleana-driven hana, the ʻohana of Hikaʻalani and Hālau Mohala ʻIlima are cultivating a kīpuka for the rebirth of pono in their ahupuaʻa, and in setting this example they call us to "kaʻina mai," to proceed forth on this pathway together, no ka pono o ka ʻāina a me ka lāhui. Their words and actions exemplify truths of our existence today as Kānaka, that we are still here, and as Maya Saffery so beautifully put it, "our kūpuna are still here, they can hear their names being said again, and they're just waiting for us to recognize them." Mahalo nui iā ʻoukou e nā hoa, e Kaleomanuʻiwa & Maya, a me ka ʻohana HMI no ke alakaʻi ʻana mai me he huihui ʻiwa lā.
– Noʻeu Peralto of Hui Mālama I ka 'Āina 'Ūlili,
– Noʻeu Peralto of Hui Mālama I ka 'Āina 'Ūlili,
Photo: Nick Tomasello